Machine for wrapping and sealing articles



T.. (5. McGlRR. MACHINE FOR WRAPPlNfS AND SEALING ARTICLES. APPLICATION FILED IULY 29. 1918- RENEWED AUG- 411920.

1,370,980. Patented Mar- 8,1921.-

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T. G. McGlRR. MACHINE'FOR WRAPPING AND SEALING ARTICLES. APPLICATION FILED JULY 29,1918. RENEWED AUG. 4,4920.

Patented Mar. 8, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

i 'IHI' PATENT omce.

THEODORE G. McG-IRR, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

MACHINE FOR WRAPPING AND SEALING ARTICLES.

Application To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THEODORE G. MGGIRR, a' citizen of the United States, residin at Springfield, county of Hampden, and tate of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Machines for Wrapping and Sealing Articles, of which the following descrip article and provides a sanitary wrapping,

but also because the wax may be readily softened by heat sufliciently to serve as an adhesive for securing the overlapping parts of the wrapper together.

Heretofore, apparatus has been devised for heating and softening wax to cause the overlapping parts of the wrapper to adhere together, but said apparatus has been found to be obipctionable for various reasons. Among ot ers, it is bulky, cumbersome and expensive in construction and operation. Also, by said apparatus it is difficult to maintain the proper temperature to soften the wax the degree required without overheating the same. Furthermore, this apparatus acts on the articles while inmotion w1th consequent liability to disturb the overlapped parts of the wrapper and produce an imperfect package.

The present invention provides a simple, compact and economical sealing means for the wrappers, and overcomes the aforesaid objections.

The character of the invention will be best understood by reference to the following description of one good form thereof shownin the accompanying drawing, where: m:-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a sealing mechanism embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section showing the sealing mechanism and a portion of a wrapping machine to which the sealing mechanism may be applied;

- Specification of Letters Patent.

ing a rock shaft 23 having a Patented Mar. 8, 1921.

filed July 29, 1918, Serial No. 247,180. Renewed August 4, 1920. Serial No. 401,212.

4 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section of the electrical device for softening the wax of the overlapped parts of the wrapper;

Fig. 5 is a view of parts shown in Figsl ad fiusted to a-difl'erent position; and

1g. ,6 1s a perspective view of a wrapped package sealed by the machine.

Referring to the drawings, the sealing mechanism is shown therein applied to a machine for wrapping articles in its general construction and principle of' operat1on similar to the machine shown in Letters Patent of the United States, No. 1,091,684, granted to me March 31, 1914. Merely a sufiicient portion of said machine is illustrated herein to enable a ready understanding of the application of the sealing mechanism thereto.

This machine includes a rotary carrier 1 (Fig. 3) mounted on a shaft'3 and having a series of pockets 5 for receiving the articles and holding the same while they are wrapped, each of said pockets having a movable spring-pressed side 7. The articles are progressively fed to the carrier and the latter is rotated step by step, and in the course of its rotation, devices act on the wrapper to perform progressively the necessary folding operations. Since these devices do not form part of the present invention, and are sufliciently illustrated in said patent, it is unnecessary to show and describe the same full herein. It will suffice for the purposes of t e present application to refer to means for performing two of the folding or wrapping operations. These means, in the present instance, comprises a tucker 9 (Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 5) provided with arms 11 adapted to tuck in end portions-of the wrapper, said tucker bein connected to a head 13 which may be reciprocated by suitable means not shown, positions shown in Figs. 1 and 5; and rotary folders 14 adapted to fold other end portions after the tucking o eration.

The sealing mec anism shown herein as one exemplification of the invention, comprises a sup ort, in the presentjnstance, in theform o a pair of scrolls or plates 15 (Figs. 1, 2 having a s acing sleeve 19 thereon enga ing the inner aces of said plates Rising rom these plates are a pair of brackets 21 receivblock 25 fast and 3) connected by a bolt 17 thereon which serves to support a heat apv the ca (F lying device, in the present instance, in the orm of a pair of arms 27 pivotallg mounted on screws 29 secured to said lock 25.

The arms 27 may be yieldingly urged toward one another by a coil sprlng 31 having its ends connected to pins 33 onsaid arms.

hese arms may be'provided wlth heads 35 (Fi 4) for engagement with the upper sur ace of the wrap er and with flanges 37 for engagement with the ends of the wraper. he sprin anges against t e ends of the wrapper, and will allow sufiicient relative movement of said flanges to accommodate the same to packages of different lengths.

. Suitable means may be provided to heat the heads and flanges to enable the same to soften the wax of the wrapper sufliciently to cause the overlapped parts of the wrapper to adhere. To accomplish this, in the present instance, the heads 35 are formed to present sockets for receiving resistance coils 39 connected to conductors 41 projecting through caps 43 at the outer ends of the heads and leading thence to a block 45 above said heads having an insulation sleeve 47 secured in an arm 49 fast on the rock shaft 23, referred to. This arm may have a suitable heat resisting handle 51 at the free end thereof to enable convenient manual rocking of the arm as desired. The conductors 41may be inclosed in an insulation tube 53 which may project through the block 45 and the sleeve 47 and lead to a suitable source of electricity. I

Suitable means may be provided to press the heads 35 against the upper surface of the wrapper. This means, in the present instance, comprises a helical spring 55 having one end connected to a pin 57 on a bracket 59 at one side of one of the plates 15, referred to, the o posite end of said spring being connected to an arm 61 fast on the rock shaft 23.

It is desirable that the sealing device carried by the arm 49 should be-moved from its active position when the carrier is rotate in order that the heads 35 and flanges 37 of said device may not engage the wra per and disturb the'same in the course of t e rotation of said carrier. To accomplish this, in the present instance, a crank igs. 1', 2-and 5) may be provided having one end fast on the rock shaft 23, and its opposite end connected to one end of a link 65 having an elongated slot 67 therein receiving a pin 69 projecting from the tucker head 13, referred to.

The construction is such that when the head 13 moves in a direction to withdraw tucker from a package, thelink 65 and crank 63 will rock the sealing device in a clockwise direction (Fig. 1) and move the same up from its active Fig. 1. On the other han ,when the tucker 31 will serve to press said osition shown in head 13 moves toward the carrier, it will allow the spring 55 to rock the sealing device in a contra-clockwise direction down to 1ts actlve position shown in Fig. '1. However, the rocking movements'of the sealing device always occur at a time when the pack-' grasping the handle 51 and rocking the arm so that the spring 55 will be carried from its position, at the left of the rock shaft 23 past the dead center of said rock shaft to a position at the right thereof. Thus, said spring may serve not only to rock the sealing device and press the heads 35 against the wrapper, but also may serve to hold the device in inoperative position.

After the sealing device has softened the and 3'to an inoperative wax and rendered the same sufliciently adheslve to 'cause the overlapped parts of the wrapper to stick together, it is desirable to cool the wrapper and cause the softened wax to set or harden and permanently secure the overlapped parts together. To accomplish this, a cooling device may be provided, in the resent instance, in the form of a plate 71 Figs. 1, 2 and 3) having ears 73 pivotally mounted on the rock shaft 23, said plate being provided with a series of ribs 75 spaced to provide an extended surface or grid for dissipating the heat. The lower edges of these ribs may be formed to present a rest 77 the upper surface of the wrapper, and the plate may be supported by lugs 78 on the plate engaging the scrolls 15. This cooling device may rock downward and cause the rest 77 to engage the package, and not only serve to dissipate the heat therefrom, but also serve to press or maintain overlapped, parts of the wrapperin-engagement with one another.

The operation of the mechanism will be readily understood from the foregoing descriptlon thereof. Packages such, for example, asth'e package 79 (Fig. 6) held in the pockets of the carrier will be succescurrent passing through the resistance coils is such that the heads and flanges are heat (Fig. 1) for engagement with e overlapped ed to the proper temperature for softening the wrappers movable toward and from the the .wax the right amount to render the carrier, spring means for pressing said sealsame' adhesive. fter the overlapped parts ing device against the wrappers while the of the wrapper of one package have been carrier is stationary, and means coiiperating 5 rendered adhesive by the sealing device, the with said means for performing the wrap- 65 carrier is rotated to present the sealed ping operation for automatically moving the wrapper beneath the cooling device, and sealing device away from the carrier to preanother package is simultaneously 'introvent pressure of said device on the articles duced. to' the sealing device. Thus, the durin the feeding movement of the carrier. wt. pers are successively seal d and cooled 4. I n in t e course of the rotation of the carrier. tion of a support, acarrier adjacent said sup- While the mechanism has been described port for feeding articles having wrappers more particularly-with reference to the softreated with a fusible substance, a shaft tening of a wrapper impregnated with wax, mounted on said support, a member, mounted it will be understood that it may be used on said shaft, a sealing device on said mem- 75 to soften and render adhesive other suitable ber movable toward and from said carrier, an fusible substances applied to the wrapper. electric heater for said sealing device for By the invention described, simple, commaintaining the same at a predetermined pact and efficient unitary means is provided temperature for sealing overlapped parts of for sealing the wrappers of the articles. the wrapper, and a cooling device mounted 80 It W 6 understood that i w IS .on said shaft and adapted to press against not limited --to the specific embodiment the 1- articles to dissipate the heat from the shown, but that various deviations may be I overlapped parts of the wrappers and mainmade therefrom without departing from the tain the samein engagement.

spirit and scope of the appended claims. 5. In a wrapping machine, the combina- 85 What is claimed is: I tion of a carrier for articles having wrap- 1. In a wrapping machine, the cemblnapers treated with a fusible substance, and tion of side plates,acarr1er movable'between e ns for ealing overlapped parts of the said side plates havmg provision 'for-receivwrapper including a support, apair of mem- 80 ing articles having wrappers treated with bers movably mounted on said support for 90 a fusible substance, said carrier bein movengagement with one face of the wrapper and able step-by-ste to admit successive olding having flanges projecting therefrom for enoperations ont e wrappers, means ad]a0ent gagement with opposed ends of the wrapper, said'carrier for automatically performing a electric heating coils for said members and wrapping operation, a sealing device for the flanges, spring means for urging said mem- 95 wrappers, a sup ort therefor carried by said bers toward each other to press said flanges side plates, an connections between said against the ends of the wrapper, spring sealing device and said means for performmeans for pressing said members against 1n the wrapping operation, for automa lthe face of the wrapper, and means for mov- 40 c y intermittent y mo said sealing deing said members and their flanges bodily 100 vice toward and from artic es on the carrier away from the article after sealing the wrapwhile the latter is stationary. per therefor.

- 2. In a wrapping machine, the combina 6. In a wrapping machine, the combination of a earner for. articles having'wrap tion of a carrier for articles having wrapa wrapping machine, the combina- 70' v pers treated with a fusible substance, means pers treated with a fusible substance, a sup- 105.

adjacent-said carrier for automatically interport, 'a shaft mounted on said support, an mittently performing a wrapping operation arm on said shaft provided with a handle, a while the carrier is stationary, a sealing desealing devicecarried by said arm comprisvice for the wrappers, and connections bein a pair of members for engagement with tween said sealing device and. said means a face of the package and having flanges for 110 for performing the wrapping operation for engagement wit opposed ends of the packautomatically moving said: device toward age, spring means'for'urging said members and from the articles on the carrier while towardeach other to press said flanges the latter is stationary. against said ends, spring means for ressing 3-. In a wrapping machine, the combinajsaid members against said face of t e pack- 115 a wrapping operatioma sealing device for tion of a carrier for intermittently feeding. age, and electric heater coils mounted in said articles having wrappers treated with a fusimembers for heatmgthe same. bie substance, meansfadjtatceenpsanllfcarrier .In testifiiony wllirlereof I have signed my for automaticall interml nt ype arming nameto t is s cation. Y igd nononn concerns, 

